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“Take it easy,” the midwife says. “Try to relax.”
“Yeah, sure, because this is a relaxing thing to do. I’ve trying to shove a baby out of me and you’re telling me to chill?” I groan in pain. “Why did I agree to this?”
Alexsei squeezes my hand. “It’ll be okay.”
“You try doing it sometime.”
“You can punch me if it helps.”
“I haven’t got the energy. Oh, shit. Another contraction.” I wince as it rocks through my body. Alexsei’s hand is crushed but he doesn’t wince, just gives me that calm expression he’s had on his face since we got to hospital.
It helps even if I can’t tell him. Nothing phases him. When we had that scare halfway through the pregnancy, he was calmer than the doctors. “Nothing to be gained by panicking,” he toldme afterward. “It’ll be all right.”
I hope he’s right on that. It doesn’t feel right. The pain is intolerable but then with one more push, I get a hint of the light at the end of the tunnel.
“That’s it,” the doctor says, nodding encouragement. “You’re crowning. You can do it. One more big push and he’ll be out.”
I grunt, squeezing Alexsei, cursing so loudly I’m surprised they don’t think I need an exorcism. Then I feel something shifting and I look down. There he is. A hint of hair on his head.
The rest is over in minutes. He slides from me as his shoulders come free. Alexsei cuts the cord and then our baby is on my chest and I’m sobbing with relief as the mite wails loudly.
“Our little boy,” Alexsei says, kissing my forehead and touching his head at the same time with gentle fingers. “You did it.”
“Is it all there?” I ask. “Nothing missing?”
The doctor is counting fingers and toes. “Everything is where it should be,” he says, grinning. “Congratulations, Mrs. Volkov. You have a gorgeous baby boy. Do we have a name?”
“Hugo,” I say. “Turns out this big galumph is a big Les Miserables fan.”
The doctor raises his eyebrows. “The musical?”
“The book,” Alexsei says in a growl. “I do not care for the musical.”
“Cried when he watched it,” I say as he turns his laser eyes on me. “Only kidding.” I stick my tongue out as our baby shifts inplace, letting out a grumble and promptly falling asleep.
I jolt awake, sitting up in bed and frowning. I glance at the cot beside the bed. Hugo’s still fast asleep. “What is it?” Alexsei asks, sitting up beside me. “You’re covered in sweat. Are you all right?”
“Nothing. I was dreaming about the birth, that’s all.”
“Oh.” He kisses the side of my neck, leaning over me to look at the cot. “Thought he might have woken you.”
“Not this time. I can’t believe it’s been a month since he came into our lives. How did we ever have a life without him in it?”
“I feel the same. It’s like he’s always been here.”
“Not having any regrets with the night time feeds and the diaper changes and the interrupted sleep every single night?”
“Wouldn’t change a thing. I have my wife and my child. I have my family. What more could a man want?”
“I don’t know. A decent sleep, maybe?”
“It won’t be like this for long. Soon he’ll sleep through and so will we. Rest, now.”
I obey him as I always do. Well, as I mostly do. Laid on my back a minute later, I feel his arm snaking over my side as he wraps around me, making me feel safe. Hugo stirs, making a noise like a laugh. “What do you think he’s dreaming about?” I ask.
“Milk, probably.”
“Doesn’t have a lot of worries, does he?”
